Vicarious Liability - What is the Final Destination?

>> Event Overview

The Court of Appeal decision in Barclays Bank Plc v various claimants on 28^th June 2018 has caused concern across the insurance industry, with the court signalling the independent contractor test is now dead. There has in fact been a recent spate of decisions in the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court that have caused serious concern in the insurance industry. However, the decision of the Supreme Court on 25^th July in James-Bowen & others v Commissionaire of Police of the metropolis may be the much needed calm after the storm.

This interactive session will critically analyse how we got to this position and where the law is heading. We will look at whether the courts are using the common law to update the law in line with the ‘gig economy’ we now work within, or indeed whether a policy of distributive justice is now influencing the decisions of the courts.

This thought provoking talk will look at both sides of the argument and assess how best the insurance industry can adapt to these recent developments.

>> Learning Objectives

By attending this seminar participants will be able to:

• Understand how the law relating to vicarious liability has developed.

• Critically analyse recent decisions of the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court.

• Assess how the insurance industry can adapt its practices to ensure the best outcome possible in light of recent decisions.

>> More about our speaker

Jeff Heasman is a leading international trainer in communication skills, with a focus on the insurance, legal and financial service sectors. He is a qualified English language trainer with many years of experience working in the legal and insurance industries, initially as a litigation executive and then as a senior liability adjuster.

Jeff has taught business English and the language of international negotiations to company directors and MBA students in Spain, as well as having been Dean of the Faculty of Law and a lecturer in the law of torts at Cavendish University in Zambia. He has provided training in law and English language to some of the world’s most prestigious organisations and has been a tutor in academic and business English to undergraduate and postgraduate students at Swansea University in the UK.